Newsletters

Most Americans spend more time planning for vacations and holidays than planning for their retirement.1
1 Employee Benefit Research Insitute, 2007

Will you outlive your retirement income?  How much liability insurance should you have? Should you add stocks to your portfolio?  Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?

Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics.  Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.

Before implementing any strategy discussed herein, you should consult with your own financial, tax, and/or legal advisors to determine its applicability in light of your own situation.

Most insurance policies and annuity contracts contain exclusions, limitations, reductions of benefits, surrender charges and terms for keeping them in force. Your representative can provide you with costs and complete details.

The information contained in this article is not intended to (and cannot) be used by anyone to avoid IRS penalties. These articles supports the promotion and marketing of this [life insurance, annuity, long term care, disability, pension, etc. You should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.


  • April

    Manage Your Tax Burden
    If tax season has you searching for ways to lighten your tax load, here are two options to consider.

    Conserve Your Estate
    Are your estate strategies up-to-date and ready for whatever legislative changes lie ahead?

    More Reasons to Convert
    Thanks to tax law changes, converting traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA, or rolling over employer-sponsored retirement plans to a Roth, has become more attractive.

    The Cost of Care
    When preparing for life in retirement, you should consider the possibility that you may need long-term care at some point.

    Fuel for the Economy
    The world has become so dependent on oil that most economies simply could not exist in their present forms without it.

  • March

    Should Your Portfolio Have a Conscience?
    Socially responsible investing has been around at least since the 1960s, but it seems to be getting more attention lately.

    Six Times More Likely
    It may be uncomfortable to consider the possibility that you could become disabled; however, preparing for the possibility now could help you avoid some more serious discomfort later.

    The World Is Your Oyster
    If you want to expand your portfolio’s geographic boundaries, international mutual funds may be a good option.

    The Consumer Price Index and You
    Inflation is a long-term, sustained rise in the general level of prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

    Weather: It Matters
    Weather is common fare for small talk, but it’s difficult to think of many topics that can have a bigger effect on economic activity.

    Quick Facts - March 2008
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • February

    A Grand New Contribution
    If you were waiting for the day when you could sock away some serious dough in your individual retirement account, the time has arrived.

    Mutual Fund Mastery
    Test how much you know about one of the most popular investment vehicles.

    Living Comes with Guarantees
    Several types of living benefit guarantees are available that can provide valuable protection for variable annuity owners.

    The Trouble with Timing
    The speculation that drives market timing can often cause investors to get in right before a downturn or to flee before realizing potential gains.

    Election Year Antics
    As we enter a campaign cycle that is already unlike others we’ve seen, we can expect to see out-of-the-ordinary behavior by everyone from policymakers to Wall Street traders.

    Quick Facts - February 2008
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • January

    The Coming Retirement Boom
    In 2008, a new era will dawn that economists and policymakers have been anticipating for years with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation: baby boomers will begin turning 62, ushering in an unprecedented long-term shift in the balance between working and retired Americans.

    Happy Birthdays?
    The road to retirement winds through several birthdays that affect most Americans’ retirement benefits and tax circumstances.

    Betting Your Life on Low Coverage
    If you are close to retiring or have already retired, you may be wondering whether your life insurance policy meets your current needs.

    You’ve Sold It: What’s Next?
    If you are a business owner who is considering selling your enterprise soon, you may be able to reap even greater rewards by doing a little prep work now.

    Quick Facts - January 2008
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • November

    Free to Retire
    A variable annuity might provide a way to help you pursue your retirement goals if you don’t have the time required to develop a winning retirement strategy.

    Diversify and Conquer
    If you dream of doing more in retirement than sipping lemonade in a rocking chair on the porch, you may want to consider the advantages of diversifying your portfolio.

    Develop a Life Plan
    An out-of-date estate conservation strategy is about as useful as none at all, but by updating your estate documents periodically, you can help protect the assets you wish to pass on to your heirs.

  • October

    Quick Facts - October 2006
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

    Quick Facts - October 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • September

    Quick Facts - September 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • August

    Reasons to Roll
    An IRA rollover is one way to give you the maximum control over your retirement assets.

    Social Security Quiz
    Test your knowledge about Social Security with this short quiz.

    Chasing Hot Performers
    As hype builds, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, but chasing the latest investment trends may just as easily leave an investor with a big loss.

    Afraid of Outliving Your Income?
    A split-annuity strategy is one way to help ensure a steady retirement income stream.

    Dow Know-How
    The Dow has been on a tear for many months, recently breaking 14,000. This article looks at the Dow and explains this benchmark.

    Quick Facts - August 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • July

    The Savings Scare That Wasn’t
    Although some economists and media outlets paint a picture of a looming savings crisis, with close to 80 million baby boomers on the cusp of retirement, you may find that the nation’s personal savings rate isn’t all that important.

    Check Your Credit Score
    Knowing your credit score and understanding its significance are important because the number can directly affect the interest rates you pay for mortgages, car loans, and credit cards.

    The Health-Care Squeeze
    The coming health-care squeeze will likely affect most Americans regardless of age, net worth, or health.

    Quick Facts - July 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • June

    Retirement Reality Check
    You only get one chance to save for retirement, and if you arrive at retirement’s door without adequate resources, you may have limited options.

    Your Estate Net Value
    For many, the ultimate goal of estate conservation is preserving a financial legacy to pass on to loved ones or charitable organizations, and the first step toward reaching this goal is determining how much there is to conserve.

    Business Succession Planning
    The loss of an owner can be devastating to a small business, but a company-owned life insurance policy could help reduce the financial consequences if such a loss were to occur.

    Outlook 2007, Part II
    So the economy has begun to slow and there's some talk of a recession in the offing. Is it time to batten down and wait for the storm? Not so fast. Consumers, financial markets, and policymakers are behaving as though there are reasons to be optimistic.

    Quick Facts - June 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets